Asian Heritage Month 2026: Honouring Asian Canadians: Stories that Built Canada
In Canada, May is Asian Heritage Month: an opportunity to celebrate the diverse cultures of our Asian friends and family as part of a modern Canada. This year’s theme affirms that the histories of the people who helped build this country, including the systemic barriers that they faced, are a fundamental part of Canada’s national story.
Researching the history of Asian people and communities across Canada is just one way to celebrate Asian Heritage Month. At Library and Archives Canada (LAC), we’re proud to preserve the stories of people and communities as they arrive and flourish in Canada.
Research and resources
In the past year, we received 15 documents from Genealogy for Asian Canadians (GFAC), adding nearly 130,000 records to the Immigrants from China database. GFAC transcribed, reviewed, and corrected names and personal information in this database. Thanks to this work, our data team made more than 300,000 corrections and additions. This means that relatives and future generations can find their family members in the archival records more easily.
Our Passenger Lists database tells the stories of sea journeys to Canada for millions of people between 1865 and 1935. If you are looking to follow a path that passed through Kolkata, Manila, Singapore, or one of the many other ports across Asia, you may have much to discover here.
Events
We’re also pleased to be involved with a number of different events commemorating Asian Heritage Month, outlined below. All these events are free, but space is limited. Register now to reserve your spot!
If you’re in the National Capital Region:
Art from the Archives: The next workshop in this series, which will focus specifically on Asian Heritage Month, takes place on May 16. If you’d like to discover new pieces of art and flex your own artistic muscles, this could be for you!
Book clubs: We’re also pleased to have two Book Club events for Asian Heritage Month at 395 Wellington Street in Ottawa!
Online events:
Book launch: On June 11, we’re pleased to work with the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation to present the launch of Vitality: Iconic Images, Hidden Stories. This book delves into the history of the people and communities of Vancouver’s Chinatown over the years.
The Vancouver Public Library (VPL) is hosting an online presentation by LAC and the BC Archives on resources you can use to research Chinese Canadian genealogy. Visit the VPL website for more information and to register.
To learn more
Visit the May is Asian Heritage Month web page to discover more resources about Asian communities in Canada and learn about their varied contributions to our country’s history.